Foundation Course in the UK

Catherine Marshall qualified as a Légèreté Instructor in the UK in 2014, and passed the Level 2 exam in 2017. In 2022 Philippe Karl asked if Catherine would join the group of Master Instructors, and she was subsequently given the task of instructing the new Foundation Course in the UK which will open in 2023. 

 

Catherine came to Legerete from a background of competition riding (predominantly dressage) and in her twenties started a business backing and selling with young horses. Over the past 12 years she has developed a passion and deep understanding of Philippe Karl’s system of training, from lungeing and groundwork to the high school movements. She holds clinics around the UK and owns and runs Whitesands Equestrian, her livery and training yard in East Lothian where she teaches the principles of Legerete to horses and riders.  

 

After completing the basic training course of the Ecole de Légèreté, students must pass a rigorous exam before being awarded their licence.

Students will be judged on:

• Their theoretical knowledge

• The training level reached by their horse

• Their competence as a teacher

​Exam requirements

In a normal basic training course with four-day clinics, the final exam can be attempted at the earliest on the 10th clinic; it must be completed during the 16th clinic at the latest.

​For students who do their basic training in one of the advanced courses (with clinics lasting only three days), the final exam may be taken at the earliest on the 13th clinic; it must be completed on the 16th clinic at the latest. The possibility to have support from already licensed teachers between the clinics should compensate for the missing days.

​Each part of the exam can be tried three times in total. If a student fails any part on the third try, they have failed the entire exam.

​At the end of the second year of the basic training course, the students can present their horse in lungeing and the in-hand programme (flexions, transitions, shoulder-in walk). If this presentation is successful, the student will get a first certificate. This certificate is necessary before going forward to the final exam.

​Final exam: The three parts (Foundation Level) or four parts (Level I or higher) can be taken separately, on different clinics, with the exception of the theory exam, which must be attempted together with whichever part of the exam the student chooses to take first.

​Exceptions to these rules must be approved by Philippe Karl and, where relevant, the master instructor holding the course.

​Foundation Level

Provided that lungeing and work in hand have already succeeded.

Theory

• Oral examination (30–45 min talk, with 30 min preparation time)

Practice

• ​Riding:

• • Flexions in halt

  • Warm-up programme

  • Transitions (walk, trot, canter, rein back)

  • Lateral movements (in walk and trot)

  • Counter canter

Pedagogy

• ​First lesson with an unknown horse and rider (diagnosis and setting up a training programme)